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The Conversation
The Conversation
Carlos Alberto Sánchez, Professor of Philosophy, San José State University

Is the election making you feel adrift and wobbly? That’s ‘zozobra’ – and Mexican philosophers have some advice

Is it a lovely autumn day, or is America burning to the ground? Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Ever had the feeling that you can’t make sense of what’s happening? One moment everything seems normal, then suddenly the frame shifts to reveal a world on fire, struggling with war, climate change and political violence and upheaval.

That’s “zozobra,” the peculiar form of anxiety that comes from being unable to settle into a single point of view, leaving you with questions like: Is it a lovely autumn day, or an alarming moment of converging historical catastrophes?

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